{"id":63459,"date":"2020-11-30T12:21:36","date_gmt":"2020-11-30T17:21:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/?p=63459"},"modified":"2020-11-30T12:22:08","modified_gmt":"2020-11-30T17:22:08","slug":"looking-back-remembering-the-200th-anniversary-of-the-mayflower","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/looking-back-remembering-the-200th-anniversary-of-the-mayflower.html","title":{"rendered":"Looking Back: Remembering the 200th Anniversary of the Mayflower"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction:<\/em><\/strong> In this article \u2013 as part of the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the Mayflower \u2013 Mary Harrell-Sesniak writes about how the event was celebrated 200 years ago, in 1820. Mary is a genealogist, author, and editor with a strong technology background who has written and collected some of the funniest, quirkiest, or most touching sayings about genealogy that she\u2019s encountered in her career as a family historian. Please attribute this article if sharing.<\/em><\/p>\n

Throughout November, we\u2019ve been celebrating the 400-year anniversary of the Mayflower\u2019s<\/em> voyage, when the brave Pilgrims crossed the Atlantic Ocean and landed in the New World. Having recently published an article on the 300th<\/sup> anniversary (the tercentenary) of the Mayflower\u2019s<\/em> arrival (see Looking Back: Remembering the 300th Anniversary of the Mayflower<\/a>), I thought our readers would also be interested in the 200-year festivities that\u00a0 happened in 1820.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Photo: ship model of the Mayflower at Pilgrim Hall, c. 1905. Credit: Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At Plymouth Rock<\/strong><\/p>\n

Celebrations were held at the Old Colony [Plymouth], as it was then referred to, including celebratory toasts and commemorative words by Daniel Webster and other well-known persons of the day.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Rock of Plymouth \u2013 May it be trodden [a] thousand years hence by as worthy feet as leaped upon it two hundred years ago.\u201d — Daniel Webster<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"An<\/a>
Woodstock Observer (Woodstock, Vermont), 2 January 1821, page 3<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Historical Recaps<\/strong><\/p>\n

It was common for towns to publish historical recaps, such as this one from Brunswick, Maine:<\/p>\n

\u201cOn this day, two centuries since, occurred an event, inferior, in its consequences, to none in the secular annals of the world; and to a large proportion of the freemen of this great Republic, of transcendent interest.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"An<\/a>
Maine Intelligencer (Brunswick, Maine), 22 December 1820, page 106<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Pilgrim Society<\/strong><\/p>\n

Although the General Society of Mayflower Descendants wasn\u2019t formed until 1897, 1820 inspired the formation of the Pilgrim Society (not to be confused with another society formed later.) I recognize a few Mayflower<\/em> cousins among the names of the founders, and wonder if our readers do too?<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Boston Commercial Gazette (Boston, Massachusetts), 22 June 1820, page 1<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Named a Ship<\/strong><\/p>\n

Several papers included reports of a new Mayflower<\/em> named after the original ship.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Washington Gazette (Washington, D.C.), 11 October 1821, page 2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Although this was an exciting commemoration, there were already a number of brigs and sloops by this name, as well as other well-known Pilgrims and Native Americans.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Baltimore Patriot & Mercantile Advertiser (Baltimore, Maryland), 24 January 1820, page 1<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Honor the Pilgrims<\/strong><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t forget to explore GenealogyBank\u2019s Historical Newspaper Archives<\/a> for stories about the Pilgrims, and also look for evidence of your own roots. You never know \u2013 you might just find that ancestors were so proud of their Mayflower<\/em> roots that it was mentioned in earlier newspapers!<\/p>\n

Related Articles:<\/strong><\/p>\n